Agency (3)

What Suyeon took out of her gig bag was a black guitar. Leaving the outside director, who let out a short exclamation as though he recognized it, Suyeon began strumming without a word.

“Wow, that’s a good song.”

“What song is it?”

It was a song whose identity and date of composition were impossible to guess. Yet Suyeon’s lively voice and guitar playing naturally excited everyone present.

Then came the guitar solo.

It wasn’t visually flashy like something played by a speed guitarist. But it had a rhythm that unmistakably seized the ear. Even the outside director, who had been listening with his face contorted into all sorts of expressions as he tried to identify the song, relaxed when he heard the solo. Was the brilliant performance unfolding before him simply more important than his pride?

And when the song ended…

“That was wonderful. May I ask what song it was?”

“It was ‘Games People Play’ by The Alan Parsons Project.”

“Alan Parsons… I’ve heard the name, but this is the first time I’ve actually heard one of their songs.”...